Illinois files suit against Enbridge over oil cleanup

The IllinoisAttorney General has filed a lawsuit against Enbridge Inc.’s U.S. affiliate Enbridge Energy Partners. The state seeks to have the company pay the costs incurred cleaning up an oil pipeline spill that occurred in September. Michigan Attorney General Lisa Madigan and James Glasgow, the State’s Attorney for Will County, filed the lawsuit against the company.

The Complaint alleges that the spill of about 6,100 barrels of oil from Enbridge’s 670,000 barrel-per-day Line 6A in Romeoville, Illinois, caused danger to the public health and welfare, violated the water and air pollution laws and created a public nuisance. The court also agreed to a request for an interim order requiring Enbridge to inspect water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, private wells and groundwater within a half mile of the site to ensure all oil from the spill has been cleaned up.

According to Enbridge, it has co-operated with all regulatory authorities since the spill and has nearly completed all the requirements imposed by the U.S. Environmental Agency after the incident. The suit seeks repayment for the costs incurred by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for its oversight of the spill’s cleanup and remediation.